532 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ June 30, 18S7 
plant, with small roundish dentate leaves, and panicles of small bright red 
tubular flowers, very graceful, and freely produced. The plant shown had 
been lifted from the open ground and placed in a pot, and it had fifty 
panicles 18 inches to 2 feet high. 
Bose Lady Alice (Messrs. Paul & Son).—A sport from Lady Mary Fitz- 
william, exactly the same in the style of flower, but nearly white, faintly 
tinged with pink in centre. 
Chrysanthemum Leucanthemum semi-duplex (Saltmarsh & Son, Chelms¬ 
ford).—A variety of the Ox-eye Daisy, in which an extra number of narrow 
white ray florets had been produced. 
Delphinium Chamont (Kelway & Son).—A semi-double variety, bright 
blue with purple centre, comoact spikes, very handsome. 
Delphinium Britannia (Kelway & Son).—A distinct variety, rich dark 
blue, with a white centre. 
Gaillardia Vivian Grey (Kelway & Son).—A rich golden yellow variety, 
fine heads, handsome. 
Pceony Glory of Somerset (Kelway & Son).—A bold variety, the flowers 
large, full and fragrant, of a rosy mauve tint, 
Bose Cleopatra (H. Bennett).—A pedigree seedling Tea Rose from Mr. 
Bennett’s choice store, with grand substantial blooms, delicate salmon pink 
in colour, very fragrant, and likely to make a handsome exhibition Rose. 
SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE. 
Present : Dr. M. T. Masters in the chair ; Mr. Pascoe. Mr. McLachlan, 
Mr. O’Brien, Mr. Ridley, Dr. Lowe, Mr. Lynch, Col. Clarke, and Rev. G. 
■Hen Blow, Hon. Sec. 
Lonicei a pubescens, Ay6.—Col. Clarke exhibited sprays of a hybrid raised 
■between this species and L. italicum. The plant possesses the perfoliate 
foliage of the latter, the male parent, as weii as the climbing habit and 
■scent. It has small yellowish flowers. 
Bulbophyllum barbigerum. —This Orchid, like B. Calamarii, is remarkable 
for the peculiarity of having an oscillating labellum. Remarking on the 
mechanical movements of the labella of Orchids, Mr. O'Brien called at‘en- 
tion to the interesting fact that he had more than once observed a spon¬ 
taneous movement in the “ tails ” of Masdevallia corniculata. On watching 
them closely they moved backward and forward slowly, but occasionally 
with a jerk. This peculiarity does not appear to have been previously 
noticed. 
M. Simula. —Mr. O'Brien exhibited a plant of this minutely flowered 
Orchid, as also of variations in the colouring of the perianth leaves of Cata- 
setum stratum. 
Liquidamber Styracifiua.— Dr. Lowe called attention to the variety of 
tthis plant in modern gardens, but that it was frequently grown in old ones. 
He exhibited a branch from an old garden at Putney adjoining another in 
which was a Thorn raid to have been planted by Oliver Cromwell. 
Hakea linearis. —Dr. Masters showed a branch of this plant grown by 
Miss Owen, Ireland. It is remarkable for its flattened leaves btlow, and 
•cylindrical above. 
Helichrysum (Swammerdamia) antenarium. —A shrub with snow white 
masses of small flowers, was also sent by Miss Owen. 
Floipers, Monstrous. —Double form of Silene inflata, and Pteonia prolifera 
■superba, with floral bud issuing from tbe open carpels, exhibited by Mr. 
Ware; and a semi-double Chrysanthemum Leucanthemum occurring wild, 
from Mr. Saltmarsh. In this form tbe additional ligulate florets were very 
■narrow, resembling Japanese forms of Chrysanthemum, It received a first- 
class (floral) certificate. Dr. Masters observed that it was known to occur 
■much more “ double ” than is the present form, and Mr. Lynch had seen it 
•with all the florets “ tubular ”— i.e., in the “ quilled form.” 
Lilium bulbiferum. —Miss Owen sent flowers with anthers malformed. 
It was suggested by the Secretary it might be due to enlargement of the 
aerial bulbs (none of which were sent), as he had known cases where 
■hypertrophy of the bulbs caused complete atrophy of the flowers. Miltonia 
vexillaria, exhibited by Mr. Hollington, showed the peculiarity of the 
markings (the BO-called insect “ patb-finders ”) of the labellum repeated in 
♦various degrees upon the sepals and petals. This was, however, not coupled 
with any attempt at a pelorian condition of the flower. A botanical certi¬ 
ficate was awarded the exhibitor. Cattleya Wagneri, Mr. Smee exhibited a 
blossom in which the median sepal was adherent to the column of the flower. 
Acera3 anthropophora, Mr. Ridley exhibited specimens, which he under¬ 
takes to examine and report upon tbeir malformations. 
Plants Exhibited. —From Mr. Veitch came Styrax jiponica and the 
Japanese Syringa, the fornqer being a very free-flowering shrub with white 
scented flowers. Mr. Lynch showed the following from the Cambridge 
Botanic Gardens—Polemonium flavum, Cecropia stapaliaeformis (with a long, 
■tubular, slender-rayed and spotted corolla), Helianthus occidentalis, Melia 
azedaiach, Cerasus virginiana, Myrsiphyllum asparagoides (in fruit), 
Echeandia eleutherandea, Ducliopogon strictus, Hymenocallis Harrisiana 
(with very slender perianth-leaves and reduced corona), Fontainesia cali- 
fornica (?), a free-flowering shrub with minute flowers. It is said there is 
only .one species in cultivation, hence it was forwarded to Kew for identifi¬ 
cation. A vote of thanks and a botanical certificate for the last-mentioned 
plant were unanimously awarded to Mr. Lynch for his interesting exhibits. 
SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING. 
As previously announced a special general meeting of the Fellows of the 
Royal Horticultural Society was cal’ed for Tuesday afternoon at 3 p.m., to 
consider the present position and prospects of the Society. There was a 
igood attendance of Fellows, the Council and officers present being as follows : 
—Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart., M.P., in the chair, Baron Schroder, Professor 
Michael Foster, Colontl Trevor Clarke, Major Mason, Dr. Robert Hogg, 
■Sidney Courtauld, W. T. Thiselton Dyer, Wili am Lee (Secretary), Wm. 
Haughton (Treasurer), and Captain Bax (Assistant-Secretary). 
After the Secretary had read the notice calling the meeting, Sir 
Trevor Lawrence proceeded to briefly review what had been done by the 
Council since the annual meeting. He said that the arrangements be¬ 
tween the Royal Commissioners of the 1851 Exhibition and the officials of 
the Royal Albert Hall had not bem sufficiently advanced to permit the 
itoyal Horticultural Society to enter into any engagement with the latter 
body as had been originally proposed, so that the actual state of affairs 
was very similar to what it was at their previous gathering. Expenses 
were, however, still going on, and it was felt that the uncertainty re¬ 
specting the future of the Society was having a most prejudicial effect; 
they were losing Fellows and not gaining others in the same proportion. 
As it seemed useless waiting for the completion of the arrangements re¬ 
ferred to, the Council had entered into direct negotiations with the Royal 
Commissioners, with a view to obtaining the use of such buildings as 
might be necessary for their purpose, for it appears that the buildings near 
the entrance at the Exhibition Road and that containing the Lindley Library 
will shortly be pulled down, so that fresh quarters are absolutely necessary. 
The result of the representation made to the Commissioners was that a 
Bite near the western arcade was offered to the Society, but it was not a 
suitable one ; the approach was bad, and the space—2700 square feet—was 
insufficient, especially as no promise could be given that the conservatory 
or other portion of the grounds could be utilised by the Society. It was 
th> refore represented to the Commissioners that the site and space were in¬ 
adequate, and they were asked if some other offer could be made, the reply 
being, that pending the settlement of an arrangement with the Royal Albert 
Hall officials nothing further could be done. It thus became incumbent upon 
the Society to look elsewhere, and a number of sites had been proposed and 
their respective merits had been examined carefully, with the result that 
all would have necessitated a great outlay besides that incurred in the 
erection of buildings, which the Society in its present condition could not 
venture upon. Expenses were not decreasing, and the fact that they 
would be shortly running into debt rendered it imperative that some de¬ 
cision should be arrived at immediately. At the present rate there would 
be a deficit at the end of the year of £1000, but this would be greatly re¬ 
duced if the large number of outstanding subscriptions were paid up. 
Their financial position was partly due to losses incurred in connection 
with the Liverpool Show last year, but he did not consider it alarming, 
as if some definite scheme was before the Society he felt that they would 
soon recover. There was a large horticultural interest in this country, and 
there were plenty of persons anxious to support the Society. 
SirT. Lawrence then read the letter which had been sent by the Council 
to Her Majesty the Queen, explaining their position, referring to their long 
period of useful work, and mentioning the interest taken in their welfare by 
the late Prince Consort. Her Maj sty’s reply was as follows :—“ Aix-les- 
Bains, April 16th, 1887.—Sin,—I have duly Lid before tbe Queen the me¬ 
morial you have forwarded on behalf of the Council and Fellows of the 
Royal Horticultural Society, in which you express your desire to retain the 
connection with South Kensington which has lasted for more than a quarter 
of a century. Negotiations with reference to the gardens are going on 
between the Royal Commissioners of tbe Exhibition of 1851 and the Council 
of the Royal Albert Hall. The Queen hopes that, if the upper gardens and 
conservatories are acquired by the Royal Albert Hall, there will be no diffi¬ 
culty in your Society coming to an agreement with the Hall both for shows 
and for office accommodation. As the area left in the hands of the Royal 
Commissioners after the dedication of the ground for the Imperial Institute 
will be a small one, the Queen does not think the Commissioners would be 
able to provide a gratuitous site for the offices of the Society. I am com¬ 
manded by the Queen to add that Her Majesty trusts some satisfactory 
arrangement will be arrived at, as Her Majesty has not ceased to take an 
interest in the welfare of the Royal Horticultural Society.—I have the 
honour to be, Sir, your obedient servant, Henry F. Ponsonby.” The Pre¬ 
sident stated that he had read these letters to show the Fellows that all had 
been done to retain their place at South Kensington, but they must now 
turn elsewhere, as it was obviously impossible to go on in this way. The 
proposals were twofold. Tbe Fellews would be asked to empower the 
Council to take such steps as would be necessary for the future conduct of 
the Society to remove to Chiswick at the end of the year, or as soon as their 
engagements with other societies would admit. In conclusion he said that 
he would be glad to answer any questions, and he assured the Fellows that 
the one effort of the Council was to restore the Society to the position of 
utility it ought to occupy. 
Mr. Shirley Hibberd asked whether the Committee appointed at the 
annual meeting had made any report, and whether it helped them in any 
way out of their difficulty. The President Baid that a report bad been sub¬ 
mitted to the Council, which he then read, the principal points in it being 
that the condition of the Society should be fully explained to the Queen, 
that the Soci ty should extend its sphere by admitting gardeners as Fellows 
at half a guinea, and that an efficient permanent paid Secretary should be 
appointed. Sir Trevor Lawrence said the former they have already done 
with the result as stated. They quite concurred in the desirability of increas¬ 
ing the scope of the Society, also in the o'her points; but there we?e at 
present some financial difficulties in ihe way. 
One Fellow thought it undesirable to come to a decision until it was 
known definitely what course the Royal Commissioners would take with re¬ 
gard to the gardens. Another Fellow considered it better to return to Chis¬ 
wick at once, and hold shows as formerly, rather than remain at South 
Kensington with the risk of increasing their d<-bt. Mr. Shirley Hibberd did 
not think the position deplorable. A debt of £1000 would be comparatively 
insignificant. The country had not been appealed to ; the Society must 
enlarge its borders, and become what it professed to be—a Horticultural 
Society. They had been strangled by the charter, and he thought it would 
be better if they dropped the Royal and became a National Society. He 
considered tbeir going to Chiswick was beginning a reorganisation in a 
healthy way, that would produce good results. 
Mr. Harry J. Veitch, after remarking that the Committee had been met 
most favourably by the Council, said tbe general opinion was that it would 
be desirable for the Society to grt rid of the onus of South K»nsington and 
return to Chiswick, obtaining a hall in London for their mei tings. He then 
proposed the fol’owing resolution—“ That this met ting requests the Council 
to take such steps for the maintenance and housing of tbe Soc'ety as may 
appeartoih m best calculated to maintiin the character and utditv of the 
Society and the internets of horticulture committ d to its charge.” This was 
seconded by Dr. M. T. Masters. Professor Michael Fos'er tben remarked 
that be understood the occupation of Chiswick wcul 1 only be temporary, 
and he moved as an aiditional resolut'on, ■* Tbit steps be taken immediately 
to secure accommodation for the Society at the c’ose of the year, either per¬ 
manent or temporary, in some central situation in, or not fir from tbe City.” 
